‘That’s so unethical’: Wisconsin woman tries on clothes at Goodwill. Then she overhears the employees
The way people view Goodwill has shifted in recent years, largely because of pricing. What used to be the place for affordable clothes and home goods has turned into a store where even a single t-shirt can cost as much as something brand new.
Now, one shopper says she overheard how prices are really set, and it left her stunned.
Wisconsin woman says she overheard how Goodwill sets prices
TikToker Sonny (@sonny.was.in.germany) said she was in a Wisconsin Goodwill dressing room when two employees began discussing the boutique section. Her video, which has over 240,900 views, called out what she felt was an “unethical” practice.
“Goodwill has lost its damn mind,” Sonny began. She explained that she overheard an employee saying another worker shouldn’t be allowed near the boutique section. This was because she allegedly wasn’t marking things high enough.
“She marked an Athleta tank for $15, and that’s way too low,” the employee allegedly said. According to Sonny, another worker responded that those tanks should be “at least $30.”
When Sonny walked out of the dressing room, she saw exactly that: a used Athleta tank on the rack priced at $29.99. “Why are you putting a used tank top that you got for free as $30?” she asked in her video. “That’s insane to me.”
She added that she understood the need for Goodwill to make money. However, she said pricing donated items so high felt “so unethical” and “literally disgusting.”
Why the prices don’t add up
Sonny noted she looked up similar tanks online from the same brand and brand-new ones often cost between $35 and $49. Seeing a secondhand version for nearly the same price didn’t make sense to her.
“It’s insane that you even think you can mark an Athleta tank top used for $30,” she said. She added that it made her want to stop shopping at Goodwill altogether.
While she acknowledged resellers often sweep thrift stores for items they can flip for profit, she doesn’t agree with that business model either. Instead, she said she resells clothes from her own closet or the Goodwill bins, keeping everything under $10.
“To me, that is ethical,” Sonny explained. “People are getting things in their closet that they might not necessarily be able to afford brand new. And that’s the reason I do it.”
What’s the boutique section of Goodwill?
According to Goodwill, boutique stores are designed to look more like specialty shops. They stock designer clothing, name brands, shoes, jewelry, accessories, and curated décor. On its site, Goodwill says boutique prices generally range from $3.99 to $24.99.
But many shoppers feel that’s not what they’re seeing in stores. One Reddit user on r/thriftgrift wrote about the Goodwill boutique, “Most of the fancy Nike shoes weren’t worth it new or used, more like $60-$80 but were priced $110-$130.”
They added that DVDs and records, even ones with little resale value, cost $7.99. “Tons of random made-for-Ross/Kohls/Target stuff priced like it was made for Nordstrom,” they wrote.
For customers, the tension comes down to Goodwill’s identity as a charity. If the organization receives donations for free, why are secondhand items selling for nearly new retail prices?
Commenters agree
In the comments under Sonny’s TikTok, many users said they’ve had similar frustrations with Goodwill.
“People need to stop donating to Goodwill!” one person wrote.
@sonny.was.in.germany I know this is a “first world problem” but I believe in ethical business practices. Do better, @Goodwill Official #goodwill #goodwillhaul #wisconsin #thrifting ♬ original sound – Sonnyyy?☀️?
Another admitted, “I rip the crazy tags off so they can try again.”
Others focused on the impact on low-income communities: “They get the stuff for free, it’s ridiculous. I think they have forgotten the people that shop there are usually underserved communities that can’t afford to shop other places.”
For Sonny, the overheard conversation just confirmed what she already felt—that Goodwill’s approach to pricing is no longer in line with what shoppers expect.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Sonny via TikTok messages and to Goodwill via email for comment.
Update Sep. 25, 2025:
During a TikTok direct message conversation with The Mary Sue, Sonny explained more about what she overheard and why it changed her view of the chain.
To Sonny, the pricing was jarring.
“Pricing a used Athleta or Lululemon tank top at $29.99 is ludicrous as you can buy them brand new from outlets for less than that,” she said, adding that the whole conversation felt wrong for a store that’s supposed to serve budget-conscious shoppers.
When asked whether more transparency might help, Sonny didn’t think it would. She told The Mary Sue that even if Goodwill explained its process, “customers would feel outraged … in no world should it be acceptable for a thrift store that received these items as donations to price them above what you can purchase them brand new for.”
The experience also changed how she donates. “Since hearing this, I have personally stopped donating to Goodwill,” she wrote. “I’ve discovered that the university in my town has a ‘free store’ for students and I would much rather donate there. If I’m unable to get there during their middle-of-day hours, I will donate to our local community thrift, that has a set price for different items on a board, regardless of brand.”
Sonny said she still occasionally shops at Goodwill because of limited options in her rural area, but she admitted she’s become far more selective.
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